How to make the most out of Twitter’s new profile layout

We all know by now that I am a big Twitter advocate, so every time they announce a big change I am generally one of the first to dive in and find out what it’s all about.

Twitter has already started to roll out its new layout and users are wanting to know how it effects them and what benefits does the new layout have? Is Twitter turning into Facebook? Are the power users being ignored over Twitter newbies to increase Twitter uptake?

Firstly Twitter is not becoming Facebook and I don’t think it ever will, as what makes Twitter so great is that the fact it isn’t Facebook. Twitter recently has taken aspects that are familiar to Facebook ie new Cover/Profile design, tag users and multiple photos, however Twitter remains loyal to their greatest asset… the Twitter timeline feed. The new profile changes seem like they have been implemented by Twitter to draw in new users and to give them an environment that they are used to engaging with.

So what are some of the benefits of Twitter’s new profile?

New Header: Yes this looks a lot like a Facebook cover photo… it’s not often that Twitter steals from Facebook though. Given the real estate space the new header takes up this allows users/business to showcase your brand message, promote your website or showcase your products in a highly visual manner.

The recommended dimensions for this new header image are W 1500 x H 500px.

Larger Profile Photo: The new profile photo will be W 400 x H 400px. No more squinting to see user/business profile photos. Now your logo or selfie will look greater than ever so take the time to ensure you have a high quality graphic within this area.

‘Pinned’ Tweet: Just tweeted something really important? You can now ‘Pin’ that tweet to the top of your page, increasing the visibility of the tweet. This was already available to those who had a Twitter Advertising account, however now it has become a public tool. Ideally this would be the ideal place to showcase latest blog, article, product or sale/special tweets if you are a business.

Best Tweets: Tweets that are obtaining higher engagement will show slightly larger text within the users profile Twitter stream, allowing you to easily see the most popular tweets at a glance.

Filter Tweets: You can now sort tweets by: Tweets, tweets with photos/videos, and tweets with replies.

‘Favourite’ tweets: Users can now easily access the tweets you have been Favouriting as the new design places the Favorites tab in a prominent place within the main navigation. This then raises the question of what is your favouriting strategy? Are you using it simply as a ‘Like’ button, or at the end of a conversation where a reply isn’t required? For brands and power users this will now be a great tool to give yourself a ‘self high five’ by showcasing recommendations, testimonies, and positive blurbs about your or your activity.

Adam Barrell, Tweet Perth Founder, www.AdamBarrell.com
‘Adam’s understanding of digital media and new media trends, both from a technical, tactical and strategic view point is extraordinary. Adam is truly passionate for all things digital, in particular, his skills in social media marketing and networking are what separate him from other professional in the field.’